After a lengthy delay thanks to Thanksgiving, we're back for one more day of action during the cricket break. After this, pool will be sparing in the next three weeks before returning alongside the Club Cricket Challenge tournament between December 18 and January 9. Today's first set is...
Home Depot Forum, Web City: Sugar v. Kelly. The red cue leads us off with 7-ball today. Web City's Sugar put on a seven-ball run full of technical skill and amazing positioning work, none better than a casual bump of the 7 on a draw play to free up the 5 to continue the run, giving her a well-earned 1-0 lead over Viewpoint Sound's Kelly. The Meteors' Kelly watch the Spiders' Sugar do much of the work in game 2 as well, including a three-ball run that ended when Sugar cut the 7 a bit too thin at the bottom right, allowing Kelly to tap it in and tie the series at 1. Sugar again carried possession in game 3, scoring a six-ball run on her first turn and sinking her second shot at the 7 after Kelly left it in prime position for a cut. Ranked #50 for 7-ball, Sugar takes a 2-1 series win and advances to the second round.
Pepsi Arena, Lighton: Lydia v. Juno. The red cue stays up for a series of 9-ball between two players who qualified extremely well. Modernistic's Juno got lucky when Lighton's Lydia had a bit too much on her long bank of the 8 to the bottom left, with the scratch giving Juno ball-in-hand to sink the 9 and take a 1-0 series lead. The Prestige's Lydia tossed game 2 away by missing contact on the 9, giving the Union's Juno ball-in-hand again to seal the series at 2-0 with an easy shot to the top left for the win. Lydia had a highlight in game 3, kicking the cue off the bottom rail into the 5, which knocked the 8 off the top rail, where it deflected off the 9 and into the bottom right. She scratched on the next shot, but won two turns later by making the 7 and 9 on cuts. Juno still took the series 2-1, and takes a #79 ranked bid in 9-ball to Terrace City's Audi Hall to face the Knights' Oreo in the second round.
Intel Center, Diamond: Pedey v. Cowzart. The blue cue is up now for 10-ball. Pearl's Cowzart brought game 1 to an early end, using the 5 in the bottom left as his set-up for double-potting the 6 to the top side with the deflection sending the cue into the 10, which dropped at the top right to put him up 1-0 over Diamond's rookie Pedey. The Surfers' Cowzart continued to excel in game 2, scoring a four-ball run-out as the Gems' Pedey proved inconsistent in losing any hope in the series down 2-0. Cowzart ended with a routine 8-10 combination to the top right after a good set-up off the 7. Pedey improved in game 3, avoiding the sweep by scoring a three-ball run early and a five-ball run across the middle of the game before getting a look at the 10 when Cowzart scratched after making the 9. The final stood at 2-1 for Cowzart, who takes his #51 ranked 10-ball bid to the second round.
Microsoft Center, Del Sur: Shannon v. Boots. The red cue is back for another set of 9-ball. Southern's Shannon capitalized on a late scratch by Southridge's Boots, scoring the last two balls easily for a 1-0 lead in the series. The Monarchs' Shannon took a back-and-forth game 2 by rocketing an 8-9 combination the bottom right and getting the right bounce to keep the cue up afterwards, taking the series at 2-0 with the strong and savvy shot to down the Defenders' Boots. In game 3, Boots ended up paying for a massive illegal use of the stick violation, as Shannon used the ensuing ball-in-hand to run out the last six balls through excellent positioning and execution of her shots, sealing a 3-0 series sweep. Ranked #16 for 9-ball, Shannon will host Graham of the Eastside Sharks at this venue in the second round.
GE Stadium Events Center, Southridge: Boots v. Missy. Boots returns home for the second half of her personal doubleheader, facing an opponent from a Navy Derby rival in 10-ball with the red cue. Capital City's Missy won an uninspiring game 1 with the final two shots, taking a 1-0 series lead over Southridge's Boots. The Defenders' Boots got a break in game 2, as the Sharpshooters' Missy told her to shoot on after illegally potting the 6, which she did, leaving Missy snookered. When she failed to escape it, Boots converted a 4-10 combination to the top left from ball-in-hand to tie the series at 1. In game 3, Boots opted to take possession after Missy's three-ball run ended with an illegally potted 4. Boots missed the 3-10 combination to the top right, but Missy answered with a carom off the 3 to pot the 10, giving her the 2-1 series win. Ranked #55 for 10-ball, Missy is into the second round.
Microsoft Center, Del Sur: Kirstin v. Puff III. The red cue remains busy today, heading west again for 8-ball. Everton's Puff III had a couple of faulty double-pots in game 1, the first ending in a scratch after the 10 and 15 went down, while the second saw the 13 and 8 end up in the side pockets, giving Southern's Kirstin a win and 1-0 lead she didn't exactly earn. The Eagles' Puff III played a lot more carefully in game 2, but she couldn't break down the Monarchs' Kirstin, whose defense stood strong and forced Puff III to look elsewhere until she ended the game and clinched the series at 2-0. Puff III avoided a sweep, winning game 3 by limiting the quality of the shots Kirstin had, which worked to make it a 2-1 series. Kirstin, ranked #39 for 8-ball, will play in the second round.
Intel Center, Diamond: Smokey v. Stripes. The red cue continues into Rotation. Diamond's Smokey made seven balls on five shots to open the game, breaking with the 3 to the bottom right, the 9 to the top right, the 7 to the top side, and the 2 to the bottom left before making three more with good positioning. After Terrace City's Stripes missed the 6-12 combination, Smokey buried it in the bottom left to win 8-0 and take a 1-0 series lead. In game 2, the Gems' Smokey had a less emphatic break, but still won 8-3, working well in tight spaces to get slop shots down, while the Knights' Stripes worked better in the open, but didn't get enough of those shots to make a difference. Smokey leads the series 2-0 at this point. Smokey dominated in game 3 as well, as Stripes chased it early before dropping the result 8-3 and letting Smokey get the 3-0 sweep. Ranked #24 for Rotation, Smokey made a big statement heading into the second round.
McDonald's Hall, Atlantic: Dominic v. Princess. The silver cue finally gets an appearance in 15-ball. Tysini's Princess dazzled by banking the 9 around the 14 and into the top side off the bottom rail to key a four-ball run, but her scratch on an attempt at the 13 gave Atlantic's Dominic ball-in-hand for his three-ball run-out to take a 1-0 series lead. The Pirates' Dominic had illegal contact when aiming at the 2, and this lined up an opportunity for the Hummingbirds' Princess to carom off the 2 to pot the 15 in the top right and the 4 in the bottom right as icing in her win that tied the series at 1. Princess bossed it game 3, working a lot of possession, especially in a six-ball run. Dominic nearly got lucky at the end, but the 13 stayed short at the top side, allowing Princess to make the last two shots and take the series 2-1. Ranked #40 for 15-ball, Princess is into the second round.
McDonald's Hall, Atlantic: Delila v. Spice. The second series in a venue doubleheader sees the blue cue playing 9-ball. Atlantic's Delila had three on the break and three more after that for a six-ball opening run, and nearly got the last three on her next turn, but the 9 stayed up at the top left, allowing Victoria's Spice a tap-in for a 1-0 lead in the series with her opportunistic shot. Game 2 lacked the same sharp shooting, with a more methodical feel, and on her second attempt, the Pirates' Delila mopped up the 9 at the top left that the Spurs' Spice missed twice, tying the series at 1. In game 3, Spice emerged victorious, running out the final five balls and capping the 2-1 series win with a bank of the 9 off the right rail to the bottom left. Spice, ranked #50 for 9-ball, goes to the second round.
GE Stadium Events Center, Southridge: J. Garcia v. Hoot. The blue cue plays 15-ball to close out the afternoon portion. Southridge's Garcia had the better of possession in game 1, working a few runs and producing a highlight by potting the 4 in the bottom right and the 9 in the top right, eventually winning for a 1-0 lead over Pronger's Hoot. The Defenders' Garcia crossed into the realm of dominance, posting an eight-ball run over the middle of the game and a four-ball run-out to leave the Tridents' Hoot with no chance to avoid losing, giving Garcia the 2-0 series lead with a bold effort. Hoot got one back in game 3, working a five-ball run-out with good positioning and execution to make it a 2-1 series. Garcia, ranked #51 for 15-ball, will play in the second round.
Samsung Arena, Whitewater: Wild Thing v. Dusky. The blue cue carries us into the night with 12-ball. Whitewater's Wild Thing got away with illegally potting the 2, as Archtown's Dusky couldn't muster up the necessary run to make a comeback, and Wild Thing won from ball-in-hand after missed contact to go up 1-0 in the series. The Arrows' Dusky did well to pin the Shores' Wild Thing on the wrong end of the table in game 2, and then some savvy set-up work helped her finish the win to tie the series at 1. Wild Thing had to navigate surrendering a wild card ball in game 3, which he did by playing impeccable defense until Dusky gave it back, at which point he sealed his win and a 2-1 series victory. Ranked #16 for 12-ball, Wild Thing passes to the second round.
Amazon Field Exhibition Hall, Golden: Strut v. Lorde. The blue cue remains at the table for Rotation. Golden's Strut didn't dominate, but he played a well-paced game, chipping away to get to an 8-1 win by overwhelming the Commerce rookie Lorde, giving himself a 1-0 lead in the series. The Tradewinds' Lorde held on a bit longer in game 2, but the Pilots' Strut was a lot better with pulling away, sealing off an 8-3 win to clinch the series at 2-0 with another confident win from the veteran. Strut didn't get the finish he wanted in game 3, watching a late three-ball run wasted as Lorde used defense and timing to take the game 8-7 in a comeback, making it a 2-1 series win for the #23 ranked Strut, who takes his Rotation bid to the second round.
Cisco Arena, Tysini: Leandra v. Strawberry. The red cue is back for 9-ball, with a reasonable chance of finishing that particular bracket's first round tonight. Tysini's Leandra needed only two shots to win game 1, pounding the 1 into the 9 and 3 in a cluster that sent the 9 to the bottom right for a 1-0 series lead over a stunned Strawberry of Pronger. The Hummingbirds' Leandra weathered a five-ball run from the Tridents' Strawberry in a much more routine game, and then countered with the 8 and 9 to take the win and a 2-0 series lead. Strawberry had a double-pot that sent the 4 to the top left on a wicked cut, while the 6 bounced off the 9 to get to the bottom right as part of a six-ball run in game 3. Leandra came back with a three-ball run-out from ball-in-hand, taking difficult shots but still getting the job done for her sweep. The #14 ranked Leandra will host the Southern Monarchs' Kirstin at this venue in the second round.
Intel Center, Diamond: Smokey v. Dani. The blue cue is back for 15-ball. Capital City's Dani came up clutch in a messy game 1, beating Diamond's Smokey handily with a five-ball run-out filled with accurate shooting, giving her a 1-0 series lead. The Gems' Smokey got it back with an insane-angle cut combination, the 5-15 to the top side from a very thin mark, which worked, setting the Sharpshooters' Dani off-guard as the series goes tied at 1. Game 3 came down to just one ball, as the two players chased the 15 a bit before Smokey finally buried it in the top right after Dani's accidental kick sent it near that pocket, sealing a 2-1 series win for Smokey. Ranked #50 in 15-ball, Smokey will play in the second round.
McDonald's Hall, Atlantic: Delila v. Twilight. The red cue continues a busy day with 8-ball. Atlantic's Delila absolutely dominated Central's Twilight, using a five-ball run early in game 1, but her shot on the 8 was off the mark, and it glanced the 6 for illegal contact before hitting the 8 and dropping it in the top right to give Twilight the 1-0 series lead on a silver platter. The Pirates' Delila kept the attack the same in game 2, using a five-ball run and a three-ball run-out capped by a bank of the 8 off the top rail to the bottom right to tie the series at 1 when Twilight had only two shots, one which ended in a scratch that gave Delila a shutout for game 2. In game 3, Delila potted the 8 to the bottom side way too early, giving another game away to Twilight, who takes the series 2-1. The Warriors' Twilight, ranked #63 in 8-ball, netted two balls in three games but advances to the second round due to Delila's mistakes.
That's all we've got for this break. Over Christmas break, expect about three times as much as this. We might also get a little bit between now and then, maybe one to two days of games. Cricket may resume as early as tomorrow.
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